1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an automobile windshield molding for a motor vehicle body to seal the space between a windshield and a periphery of a window opening of a vehicle body panel.
2. Description of the Related Art
An automobile windshield molding is usually attached around an edge of a windshield to seal the space between the windshield and a window opening of a vehicle body panel. The windshield molding (called "molding" hereinafter) is a strip-like member manufactured by an extrusion process. The molding is directly attached to the vehicle body panel or is supported by a fastener mounted on the body panel.
Examples of such molding are exemplified in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publications 1-244820 (1989) and 1-269612 (1989).
In the former, an extruded molding has two grooves on its side surfaces. One of members defining the grooves are removed at a portion associated with the upper edge of the windshield. At the corner portions, the molding is elastically reshaped so that the groove for receiving the upper edge of the windshield is merged with the groove for the side edge of the windshield. The remaining groove of the molding at each pillar panel serves as a water drain channel.
Since it has a uniform shape, the molding cannot be applied to a vehicle body panel having a varying shape. In addition, the ends of the removed member may be exposed at the corner portions.
To overcome these drawbacks, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication 1-269612 (1989) was proposed, in which an extruded molding is of a simple shape, having a large leg portion. The large leg portion is cut at the upper and side molding parts so that the leg portion extends to different heights at these molding parts. A windshield receiving groove is formed by cutting the leg portion partially. Then the molding is elastically reshaped so that the windshield receiving groove at the upper molding part and the groove at the side molding part can be aligned. At the side molding part, the leg portion serves as a wall, outside of which a water drain channel is defined.
In the latter case, there are some drawbacks. For example, part of the molding should extend over the upper surface of the windshield to a certain extent when considering variations in manufacturing precision or assembling work. In such a case, the more the molding extends over the windshield surface, the less the sectional area of the water drain channel.